25 Christmas Gifts for Toddlers That Will Tame Their Energy and Fuel Their Imaginations

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There's so much going on inside a toddler's brain that it's hard to get them to stay engaged with anything for very long. The world is so new to them that it makes everything *really* exciting. Think of it like this: If FOMO was a person, it would be a 3-year-old at a park. That makes finding Christmas gifts for toddlers easy and tricky at the same time. You want your special gift to be something they're interested in, but you are also aware that it probably won't hold their attention for very long.

There are toys with broad appeal for toddlers, though. Toys like play kitchens, pretend play toys, sensory toys, and toys that encourage activity are generally big hits. If you can get their bodies and their brains focused as they do with Goaldozer, at the same time, not only do you have a winning toy, you are doing terrific things for their development, according to scholars at Harvard University who found that encouraging the brain-body connection in early childhood is absolutely essential for growing brains and maintaining lifelong health.

Not all Christmas gifts for toddlers need to be toys, either. Fun pajamas like this Little Mermaid nightgown and cool gear are also great choices, especially if you're at saturation with toys in your house. (Who hasn't been there?) And there's always my personal favorite gift option: books.

I love toddlers, but let's face it, they're basically all a bit like tiny, uncoordinated, drunk masterminds, so safety has to be a big consideration, and I've made it. All of these toys have been tested by toddlers or groups of toddlers that I know personally. Lots of toys and gifts that were tested didn't make this list — only the products that kids really responded to made it to our list of best Christmas gifts for toddlers. Check out our top picks below!

Wooden Slice & Stack Sandwich Counter with Deli Slicer

When a 2-year-old hands you a wooden sandwich they just created, you pretend to eat that sandwich with pure joy. They will be radiating excitement with this 56-piece wooden deli kit with meat slicer, so you should be as well. And really, how much more tasteless could it be than many huge sandwich chains?

More: Best Gifts for 5-Year Old Girls

Electronic Soccer Game Goaldozer

One of the sleeper hits of the year, Goaldozer is an indoor, interactive soccer toy that pushes the ball toward your child via the car behind it. Your child returns the ball to the goal, and then Goaldozer pushes it in an entirely different direction. It's great for solo or group play.

DUPLO My First Number Train

Certainly, not every toy needs to have an educational angle, but when it happens, and it doesn't take away from the child's level of engagement, I would call that a win.

For ages 18 months and up, the "My First Number" train combines building with numbers and counting. It provides a lot of visual and tactile stimulation that toddlers really dig.

The Little Mermaid Nightgown

Ariel is one of the best princesses of all time, and with the new release of The Little Mermaid this year, pretty much every toddler wants to be her. (So much so that a witchy octopus took it a little bit too far.) Delight your little one with this comfy Little Mermaid nightgown for sweet dreams full of song and beauty.

Cozy Coupe Dinosaur

Every little kid deserves a Cozy Coupe childhood. With this Dinosaur revamp on the classic, it'll make your toddler feel like they're Flintstone (but in the best way, of course). Foot-powered automobiles routinely fascinate the young ones, becoming a core memory for toddlers.

They're also one of the most durable ride-on toys you can buy.

Duck Family

Bath toys are the unsung hero of gifts because they not only keep your child entertained, they do it while making sure that your kid is no longer covered in a mixture of jam, chicken nuggies, and fruit juice.

Playmobil designed this duck toy to be used in the tub or kiddie pool, giving kids the power to either rescue or abduct the baby ducks, depending on your viewpoint.

Up & Down Roller Coaster Toy for Kids

Our little tester has this in their basement, and their mother actually had to bribe him with candy to get her off of it to go out to lunch. I think we can all agree that's impressive and says a lot about how much fun this ride-on toy is. It's a toy they'll use over and over until they tire themselves out, which is a win-win for parents and kids.

Lion cape

RAWR! Pretend play and dressing up doesn't end with Halloween costumes for kids. They're an all-year phenomenon that kids, toddlers especially, love. With this cape, you'll have your kids acting like the king of the pride! (Even though we all know the real king of the pride, Tim Cook.)

'I Love You Like No Otter' by Rosa Rossner, illustrated by Sydney Hanson

If you've never seen how an otter holds its baby to sleep, it's the cutest thing ever. It gives new meaning to the word "cosleeping," and you see a little bit of it in this sweet board book that illustrates a parent's love for their young child.

Bouncy Pals Dinosaur Hopper

There's a well of energy that exists inside of every toddler that I'm convinced that if we could harness it, our global energy crisis would be solved. Alas, until that day comes, you'll need to encourage your child to get it all out. A blow-up bouncy dinosaur is a soft and fun way to go. (Pump included.)

Versailles Deluxe Classic Play Kitchen

After I put this play kitchen together, I realized that I subconsciously picked my perfect kitchen color scheme. A bit of envy? Yes, I have it. It's a stunning play kitchen that comes with a salt and pepper shaker, pan, pot with lid, spatula, slated spatula, three ice cubes, cup, three cans, a phone, and two reusable sticker sheets.

100 Pcs Play Food Set

Since you can't have a kitchen without food, this 100-piece set of pretend play food for just $25 is sure to do the trick. It's got all the basic four food groups covered, plus the fifth food group — pizza. All you really need is ramen and mac and cheese, and you'll have everything your child will be cooking until they graduate college.

Monkey Around First Game for Toddlers

If your child is also constantly singing "Five little monkeys, jumping on the bed..." you need this game. There's no rhyme or reason for how much they love both, but this game of wiggling and squiggling was a win for all of the kids who got a chance to play it.

My First Slide

I'll admit that this slide is pretty ubiquitous in households across the country, but most of us don't think about it until we are buying presents. This easy-to-assemble slide makes the perfect Christmas gift for toddlers, especially if you're on a budget. Plus, it's incredibly durable, as what I witnessed at a frat house in '08 should have killed it and didn't, proving it's universally loved amongst all ages.

3pc Space Ship Kids Play Tent

An interconnected space-themed play tunnel with a rocketship-style playhouse on one end and an open area at the other, this is designed with toddlers in mind.

Fun fact: You do not have to add balls to the area they're showing as a ball pit. You can add a bunch of pillows and stuffies, and kids like it just as much. In fact, I'd say they like it more because it doesn't sting to fling themselves bodily at it.

'The Two of Us Belong Together' by Michael Engler and Joëlle Tourlonias

Friendship comes in many forms, and throughout the history of children's books, authors have done their best to showcase that we are more similar than we are different. This book takes a slightly different approach by embracing the differences and showing why they are special and can bring important things to a relationship.

Bathtub Fingerpaint 5 Color Variety Pack

There's never a peep about bath time when you take out the finger paint unless it's the sound of delighted squeals. These are especially useful when kids are having a hard time winding down before bed or after an activity (like, say, Christmas dinner?). This Christmas gift for toddlers allows them to find their focus in a clean way, but good luck telling your little one that bath time is over!

Audio Player Starter Set

Another super chill toy, the Toniebox is a soft-sided storytelling machine that works with characters that you place on the Tonie box, and they guide you through. It seems gimmicky, I'll admit, but it's one of the best-tested toys I've introduced to kids in the last several years.

Kids Car Play Mat for Kids

By the time my son was 2 and a half, he had about ten gazillion play cars. Having a mat like this was the best thing for him. It gave his cars a purpose and a play area. On top of that, it really saved my floors because kids and cars aren't nice on hardwood.

Story Dream Machine Starter Set for Toddlers

One of the hottest toys of 2023, the Story Dream Machine by Little Tikes is so sweet. It looks and acts like an old-school projector and even comes with "reels" for your children to watch. Anywhere you have a vertical, clear surface, you have a screen ready to play stories on screen.

Learning Friends 100 Words Book

Literacy starts young. Sight words are something kids start learning in preschool, and LeapFrog has designed a way to make it interesting and fun for toddlers. With 100 words to learn with sound and bright colors, it's an engaging toy that kids come back to time and time again.

Chase 'n Go Ball Popper Active Toy

Hand-eye coordination learning is something that takes time. I am still learning, personally. (One day, batting cages!) The Chase 'n Go ball popper works with your toddler in an extremely fun way; they place the ball in the hopper, and it pops out! Then, it's catch or chase it!

Hasbro Lullaby Gloworm Toy with 6 tunes, Blue

Sometimes, we all need a buddy to help us fall asleep. For me, that buddy is Ambien, and for my kids, it was Gloworms. Theirs was better, cheaper, more effective, cuter, and never led to weird dreams where you forgot your whole senior year of high school and failed to graduate (pretty sure the soothing lights and lullaby do the trick!)

Cub 2 Toddler 12" Balance Bike

A balance bike is a terrific first entree into bike riding that starts in toddlerhood. It's not a tricycle, so kids don't become dependent on the balance that the rear wheels would provide. This allows kids to find their own center of gravity and use it to propel them — just don't forget the helmet!

Montessori Toys for Toddlers

When I was sent this toy, I thought that it would be forgotten amongst all the more digital toys, but I'm so glad to report how wrong I was. It was an instant hit, and it is fascinating. You can watch your child's minor motor manipulation improve right before your eyes.

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